The Mid-Autumn Festival is upon us, and it’s time to brew tea, eat mooncakes, and recall the legend of Chang’e, the mythical character who took a magical elixir granting her immortality and flew to the moon, where she’s accompanied by a jade rabbit. There are many ways of celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, including carrying lanterns, gazing at the moon, and getting together with friends and family. You can do all that and more at Mid-Autumn Family FUN (MAFF), an annual event co-organised by Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) and Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO). This three-day event runs from 6 to 8 September 2024 at SCCC and Singapore Conference Hall, both located at the corner of Shenton Way, a 3-minute walk from Shenton Way MRT station. With a total of 21 family-friendly activities, there’s something for everyone, including a mystery gift that visitors can redeem.
## Background
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is a traditional festival celebrated by many East Asian communities. It is a time for family reunions, moon gazing, and enjoying mooncakes. The MAFF event aims to bring these traditions to life through a variety of activities and performances, making it a perfect occasion for families to come together and celebrate.
## Moonlight delights fiesta: Game booths and mystery gift
The Moonlight Delights Fiesta event allows you to sample mooncakes from different dialect groups and play games inspired by Mid-Autumn folklore and characters. There are seven activity booths, and those who collect stamps from all the booths on 7 and 8 September, from 12pm to 8pm, can redeem a mystery gift. The Redemption Counter is located on level 1 of SCCC.
## “The Moon Mission” theatre production
There will be a staging of “The Moon Mission”, a theatre production of a reimagined tale of Chang’e, the goddess of the moon commemorated during the Mid-Autumn Festival. It’s a great way for parents to introduce their children to Chinese legends and mythical characters in Mandarin in a fun way. The family theatre show is recommended for children aged six and above, with an accompanying parent or guardian. It will be performed in Mandarin with English subtitles. On 7 September, there will be three 40-minute shows at 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm at the SCCC Auditorium. Tickets are sold out for the 7pm show, but you can get them for the 1pm and 4pm shows. They’re priced at S$15 per pax, S$25 for a pair, and S$40 for a bundle of four.
## Learn more about the moon and the planets
If all of this talk about the moon has you wanting to know more about celestial bodies, you can pick up a Young Astronomer Activity Pack between 12pm and 5pm on 7 September. Recommended for children aged six to nine, those who complete the activities can get a Young Astronomer badge on the same day or at The Observatory at the Science Centre Singapore. Each Activity Pack costs S$2.
## Workshops
Those interested in their lineage can check out a workshop titled “Grandpa’s Grandpa: Stories of our Ancestral Heritage”. The educational workshop is catered for families to discover more about their heritage and will cover topics such as lineage, dialect groups, and family trees. Priced at S$70 per child and S$25 per adult, the workshop takes place in two sessions for children of different ages: parents with children aged 8-10 years old can attend the session on 6 September, and parents with children aged 5-7 years old can attend the session on 8 September. Meanwhile, the artistically inclined can try painting an oriental fan using Chinese ink. This free oriental fan workshop will take place on 7 and 8 September from 1pm to 6pm at the ground floor concourse of the Singapore Conference Hall, with the last admission at 5:30pm.
## Children’s musical, sing-along session, magic shows
The SCCC Concourse on level one will host a range of free performances, including a sing-along session, magic shows, and a crosstalk performance. Don’t miss Ah Qiu’s Imaginary World: A Children’s Musical, happening at 1pm on 7 and 8 September. It’s a bilingual children’s musical that follows the adventures of Ah Qiu and his friends as they learn about the importance of friendship, imagination, and self-acceptance.
## Stargazing
At the end of the day, you can head up to the SCCC Roof Garden for some stargazing. If you’re there on 7 September, you can admire the moon and stars with additional help from telescopes provided by the Singapore Science Centre. The activity is free of charge and doesn’t require tickets, but note that it’s subject to weather conditions. You’ll also be able to take photos with their giant art installation, Giant Mooncakes Takeover, with mooncakes representing your dialect group.
## Programme details and additional information
Here’s a list of the programmes on each day of the event. Visit the SCCC website for the full list of programmes, and take the MAFF personality quiz to find out which Mid-Autumn legend you are. You can also learn more about the Mid-Autumn Festival in Singapore at Culturepaedia, a one-stop repository on Singapore Chinese culture. This sponsored article by SCCC and SCO let this writer revisit fond childhood memories of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
